U.S. patent number 5,626,472 [Application Number 08/452,118] was granted by the patent office on 1997-05-06 for shower mounted dental hygiene dispenser.
Invention is credited to Richard J. Pennetta.
United States Patent |
5,626,472 |
Pennetta |
May 6, 1997 |
Shower mounted dental hygiene dispenser
Abstract
A shower mounted hygiene dispenser for discharging a stream of
water or a mixture of water and hygienic fluid for oral irrigation,
the dispenser having a conduit housing connectable to a domestic
water source. A dispenser assembly contains a collapsible bag of
hygienic fluid which selectively discharges the hygienic fluid into
the conduit housing in response to differential pressure exerted
upon the bag to provide a mixture of water and hygienic fluid. An
applicator assembly comprising a hose and a nozzle assembly
delivers either pressurized water or a mixture of water and
hygienic fluid for personal hygiene usage, such as for oral
irrigation. A pressure regulating valve regulates the water
pressure through the conduit housing.
Inventors: |
Pennetta; Richard J. (Upper
Saddle River, NJ) |
Family
ID: |
23795116 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/452,118 |
Filed: |
May 26, 1995 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
433/80;
601/165 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61C
17/032 (20190501) |
Current International
Class: |
A61C
17/02 (20060101); A61C 17/00 (20060101); A61C
017/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;601/162,165
;433/80,88 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hirsch; Paul J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: McCarthy; Bill D. McCarthy; Randall
K. Free, Jr.; Phillip L.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A hygiene dispenser connectable to a domestic water source,
comprising:
conduit housing means for providing a flow of water from the
domestic water source; and
dispensing means connected to the conduit housing means for
selectively dispensing a hygienic fluid into the flow of water to
provide a mixture of water and hygienic fluid, the dispensing means
comprising:
bag means for retaining an amount of the hygienic fluid, the bag
means comprising:
a dispenser bag having an opening and a collapsible wall, the
collapsible wall having a distal end extending a selected distance
from the dispenser bag opening, and
a dispenser tube disposed within the dispenser bag, the dispenser
tube having a first end proximate the distal end of the collapsible
wall and a second end proximate the dispenser bag opening, and
pressure means for exerting a pressure on the collapsible wall to
selectively dispense the hygienic fluid in the bag means into the
flow of water, the pressure means causing the hygienic fluid to
flow through the dispenser tube by passing in a first opening in
the first end of the dispenser tube and out a second opening in the
second end of the dispenser tube, the dispenser tube nominally
maintaining the distal end of the collapsible wall the selected
distance from the dispenser bag opening to prevent the collapsible
wall from blocking the dispenser bag opening and interrupting the
flow of hygienic fluid from the dispenser bag.
2. The dispenser of claim 1 further comprising:
pressure regulating means connected to the conduit housing means
for regulating the pressure of the flow of water.
3. The dispenser of claim 1 further comprising:
applicator means connected to the conduit housing means for
receiving and applying the mixture from the conduit housing.
4. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the bag means comprises a
replaceable dispenser bag.
5. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein the dispensing means comprises
a dispensing housing removably supported by the conduit housing
means, the dispensing housing supporting the dispenser bag.
6. The hygiene dispenser of claim 1, further comprising bypass
valve means for diverting water in the conduit housing means away
from the dispensing means and out of the conduit housing means, the
bypass valve means allowing water from the domestic water source to
reach a selected temperature before the flow of water in the
conduit housing means is provided to the dispensing means.
7. A dispenser connectable to a domestic water source, the
dispenser comprising:
a conduit housing having first, second, and third openings, the
first opening connectable to the domestic water source to provide
an inlet for a flow of water through the conduit housing;
a dispenser assembly, connected to the second opening of the
conduit housing, comprising:
a dispenser housing;
a dispenser bag of hygienic liquid within the dispenser housing,
the bag having a collapsible wall and a bag opening in fluidic
communication with the second opening of the conduit housing, the
bag collapsible wall having a distal end extending a selected
distance from the bag opening, the bag collapsible wall further
defining a volume within the dispenser housing surrounding the
bag;
a dispenser tube disposed within the bag, the dispenser tube having
a first end proximate the distal end of the bag collapsible wall
and a second end proximate the bag opening; and
pressure means for exerting a pressure on the bag collapsible wall
by filling the volume within the dispenser housing surrounding the
bag with water from the domestic water source, said pressure
causing a flow of hygienic fluid to selectively dispense from the
bag and mix with the flow of water through the conduit housing to
provide a mixture of water and hygienic fluid; and
applicator means connected to the conduit third opening for
receiving and applying the mixture from the conduit housing;
wherein the flow of hygienic fluid dispenses from the bag through
the dispenser tube by passing in a first opening in the first end
of the dispenser tube and out a second opening in the second end of
the dispenser tube, the dispenser tube nominally maintaining the
distal end of the bag collapsible wall the selected distance from
the bag opening, preventing the bag collapsible wall from blocking
the flow of hygienic fluid from the bag.
8. The dispenser of claim 7 wherein the dispenser assembly further
comprises a dispensing valve means for selectively regulating the
rate of discharge of the hygienic fluid from the bag.
9. The dispenser of claim 7 wherein the applicator means further
comprises:
a hose having first and second ends, the first end connectable to
the third opening of the conduit housing; and
a nozzle assembly connected to the hose second end.
10. The dispenser of claim 9 wherein the applicator means further
comprises:
nozzle valve means connected to the nozzle assembly for regulating
a flow of the mixture of water and hygienic fluid through the
nozzle.
11. The dispenser of claim 9 wherein the conduit housing further
comprises:
anti-siphon valve means for preventing a back flow of water from
the conduit housing to the domestic water source;
bypass valve means for diverting water in the conduit housing away
from the dispenser assembly and out the conduit housing, the bypass
valve means allowing water from the domestic water source to reach
a selected temperature before the flow of water through the conduit
housing is provided to the dispenser assembly; and
pressure regulation means for regulating the pressure of the flow
of water through the conduit housing.
12. The dispenser of claim 8 wherein the conduit housing comprises
a fourth opening and the pressure means further comprises an
opening in communication with the fourth opening of the conduit
housing to allow a portion of the flow of water through the conduit
housing to flow into the volume within the dispenser housing
surrounding the bag so as to exert the pressure upon the dispenser
bag collapsible wall.
13. The dispenser of claim 12 wherein the conduit housing further
comprises:
regulating means for regulating the pressure of the flow of water
through the conduit housing.
14. The dispenser of claim 13 wherein the conduit housing further
comprises an orifice port that reduces the pressure of the flow of
water through the conduit housing so that the pressure exerted on
the bag is greater than the pressure inside the bag at such times
that the dispensing valve means is opened, causing the hygienic
fluid contained in the bag to flow into the conduit housing.
15. The dispenser of claim 7 wherein the bag is disposable and may
be replaced when essentially all hygienic fluid contained therein
has been discharged.
16. The dispenser of claim 11 wherein the conduit housing further
comprises a pressure gauge for measuring the pressure of the flow
of water through the conduit housing.
17. A dispenser for dispensing a mixture of water and a hygienic
fluid, the dispenser connectable to a domestic water source, the
water source providing water at an initial pressure, the dispenser
comprising:
a housing for receiving water from the domestic water source at the
initial pressure and directing the water through a first channel
within the housing;
a by-pass valve, connected to the first channel, for diverting the
water out of the housing until such time that the water from the
domestic water source reaches a desired temperature and for
directing the water through a second channel within the housing
after such time that the water reaches the desired temperature;
a pressure regulating valve, connected to the second channel, for
reducing the pressure of the water to a selected pressure and
directing the water at the selected pressure through a third
channel within the housing;
a hygienic fluid dispenser assembly connected to the third channel,
comprising:
a dispenser housing;
a dispenser bag disposed within the dispenser housing, the bag
having a collapsible wall and a bag opening, the bag collapsible
wall having a distal end extending a selected distance from the bag
opening, the bag collapsible wall further defining a volume within
the dispenser housing surrounding the bag;
a dispenser tube disposed within the bag, the dispenser tube having
a first end proximate the distal end of the bag collapsible wall
and a second end proximate the bag opening;
wherein water at the selected pressure fills the volume within the
dispenser housing surrounding the bag so that hygienic fluid
disposed within the bag dispenses from the bag through the
dispenser tube by passing in a first opening in the first end of
the dispenser tube and out a second opening in the second end of
the dispenser tube, the dispenser tube nominally maintaining the
distal end of the bag collapsible wall the selected distance from
the bag opening, preventing the bag collapsible wall from blocking
the dispensing of hygienic fluid from the bag; and wherein the
dispenser further comprises:
pressure reducing means, connected to the third channel, for
diverting the water through a fourth channel within the housing at
a second selected pressure, the second selected pressure reduced
with respect to the selected pressure;
wherein the flow of hygienic fluid from the bag mixes with the
water in the fourth channel to generate the mixture of hygienic
fluid and water.
18. The diverter of claim 17, further comprising applicator means,
connected to the fourth channel of the housing, for receiving and
applying the mixture of hygienic fluid and water.
19. The diverter of claim 17, further comprising a pressure gauge
for providing an indication of the pressure of the mixture of
hygienic fluid and water.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to personal hygiene and
more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a shower
mounted dental hygiene dispenser for dispensing a hygienic fluid
such as a mouthwash to aid in dental hygiene.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
As is well known, a regular and effective dental hygiene regimen is
an important factor in combating gum and tooth disease and
decreasing dental health problems. In recent times, advancements in
the art of dental hygiene beyond conventional methods of brushing
and flossing have included devices that discharge a stream of
pressurized water. This discharged water enables a user to irrigate
the mouth, eject food particles from between teeth, and clean above
and below the gum line.
One well known variety of such devices comprises a unit placed on a
counter surface next to a sink with a reservoir that is filled with
water or with a mixture of water and hygienic fluid. Such devices
generally employ an electrical pump to direct a stream of water
from the reservoir to an applicator nozzle by way of a hose member.
Although such devices have been commercially popular, these devices
have not been without attendant problems such as the annoying noise
and vibration of the pump, a propensity to create a mess on the
counter from the discharged water, and the potential risk of
electrical shock.
Advancements in the art to address such problems have included
devices exemplified by references such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,569,
issued to Martin and U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,687, issued to
Lih-Sheng.
These and other related references teach the use of an applicator
nozzle attached to a water source, such as a sink or in a shower or
tub, by way of a hose and an attachment member for directing a
stream of water from the water source to the applicator nozzle,
thereby enabling the user to effectively irrigate the mouth. Such
devices eliminate the annoyance and potential hazard from the use
of an electrical pump, relying instead upon the pressure of the
water from the water source to propel the water through the
applicator nozzle. In addition, insofar as those devices used in a
shower or tub are concerned, these devices eliminate the mess
associated with a counter-top unit by attempting to restrict the
discharge to the confines of the shower or tub.
Additionally, devices have also been developed that provide a
pressurized stream of water from a water source mixed with a
hygienic fluid, such as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,005,
issued to Marchand et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,914, issued to
Thompson. These and other related references teach the use of
either solid pellets that dissolve in a stream of water to provide
a mixture of water and hygienic fluid or the use of a liquid that
is emitted from a reservoir and mixed with the flow of water to
provide the mixture.
Nevertheless, advancements in the art are still necessary to
address problems related to the control of the mixing and the
discharge of the water or the water and mixture of hygienic fluid.
Pressurized water from a domestic water source is typically
presented to the devices described hereinabove and regulated by the
selective opening of manual valves which often do not enable the
user to properly set the appropriate pressure of the water or
mixture. It is known that a pressure of from 20 to 25 psig (pounds
per square inch gauge) is recommended for safe and effective dental
cleaning, and that excessive pressures may cause discomfort or even
injury to gum tissues. Typical domestic water systems may provide
water pressures of 75 to 100 psig, and so this pressure must be
effectively reduced and controlled. Contrawise, some domestic water
systems, especially well systems, may also experience fluctuations
in water pressure during use of a device, further compounding the
problem of accurately controlling the pressure of the discharged
water or mixture.
Further, it is desirable to provide a dispenser with improved
hygienic liquid discharge characteristics. This would provide
effective and uniform rates of discharge so that the flow of
hygienic liquid and the resulting mixture concentration is
precisely controlled and that all the available hygienic liquid in
a dispenser is effectively discharged before the need to replenish
the source arises. It is to such problems with the prior art that
the present invention is directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a hygienic fluid dispenser that
delivers pressure regulated water or a mixture of water and a
hygienic fluid to a user to allow irrigation of a body cavity. In a
preferred embodiment, the dispenser is mounted in the shower and
used for dental hygiene. The dispenser enables the user to clean
the gum line, clean below the gum line, and flush out particles
trapped between the teeth so as to remove bacteria, reduce bleeding
and inflammation of gums and prevent build up of plaque associated
with gingivitis.
The invention comprises a conduit housing having first, second and
third openings, the first opening connectable to a domestic water
source and serving as an inlet to admit a flow of water through the
housing. The second opening serves as a dispenser conduit for
receiving a flow of hygienic liquid, such as mouthwash, from a
dispenser assembly connected to the conduit housing. The dispenser
assembly contains a collapsible bag of hygienic fluid and a portion
of the water flowing through the conduit housing is routed so as to
enter the dispenser assembly and occupy a volume surrounding the
bag so that the water exerts a pressure upon the bag. The
aforementioned second opening in the conduit housing contains a
flow control valve that selectively allows passage of the hygienic
fluid from the bag into the conduit housing. The hygienic fluid
that passes through the second opening mixes with the flow of water
and provides a mixture of water and hygienic fluid to the third
opening in the conduit housing, which is a dispenser outlet
connected to an applicator means, which comprises a hose and a
nozzle assembly containing a nozzle valve for regulating the flow
of the mixture through the nozzle. The flow control valve can be
closed to obtain a flow of pure water through the nozzle or the
user can variably adjust the flow of the hygienic fluid into the
water stream to a desired mixture concentration.
Additionally, the invention comprises the use of a pressure
regulating valve to provide the water or mixture at a safe and
desired pressure range and compensate for water source pressure
variations that are characteristic in well water systems. A
pressure gauge can also be employed to provide an analog reading of
the pressure of the water or mixture supplied to the nozzle.
Additional features include an anti-siphon valve to prevent a back
flow of water from the conduit housing into the water source and a
by-pass valve useful for purging water from the dispenser as shower
valves in the shower are adjusted.
An object of the present invention is to provide a hygienic fluid
dispenser that delivers pressure regulated water or a mixture of
water and a hygienic fluid to a user to allow irrigation of a body
cavity.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shower
mounted dental hygiene dispenser to allow a user to irrigate the
mouth with water or a mixture of water and mouthwash.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a
hygienic dispenser with an unlimited water source, eliminating the
need to fill a water reservoir.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
hygienic dispenser that has no electrical components and does not
provide annoying motor pump noises during use.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
hygienic dispenser with a collapsible bag for containing and
discharging hygienic fluid at a controllable rate.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent from the following detailed description when
read in conjunction with the drawings and appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of
the present invention, which is a shower mounted dental hygiene
dispenser.
FIG. 2 provides an exploded, cross-sectional representation of the
dispenser of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 provides a cross-sectional view of a dispenser assembly of
the dispenser of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 provides a cross-sectional view of a dispenser bag of the
dispenser of FIG. 2. FIG. 4A provides a top-view of the bag of FIG.
4.
FIG. 5 provides an exploded representation of a dip tube assembly
of the dispenser of FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 provides a bottom view representation of a conduit housing
of the dispenser of FIG. 2.
FIG. 7 provides a bottom view representation of a dispenser gasket
of the dispenser of FIG. 2.
FIG. 8 provides a bottom view representation of a dispenser hub of
the dispenser of FIG. 2.
FIG. 9 provides a cross-sectional representation of a nozzle
assembly of the dispenser of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings in general, and more particularly to
FIG. 1, shown therein is a perspective view of the preferred
embodiment of the present invention which is a shower mounted
dental hygiene dispenser, identified generally in the figure as
item number 10. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the dispenser 10 is
connected to a shower head assembly 12 by way of a conventional two
way diverter 14 with a valve 15 which selectively provides a main
conduit for water to pass from a domestic water source (not shown)
to a shower head 16 and provides a secondary conduit for water from
the source to pass to the dispenser 10.
FIG. 1 shows the dispenser 10 having a conduit housing 20 which is
a substantially rectangularly shaped member that forms the main
body of the dispenser 10 and is attached by way of a bracket
assembly 21 to the wall of the shower (not shown) from which the
shower head assembly 12 protrudes. Generally, the housing 20
provides a path for water to flow from the water source to an
applicator assembly made of a flexible hose 22 attached to the
right side of the housing 20 and a nozzle assembly 24, which
delivers a stream of pressurized water or a mixture of water and a
hygienic fluid to the user for irrigation of the mouth. The hose 22
is about four feet long, providing sufficient length to enable the
user to comfortably and efficiently manipulate the nozzle assembly
24.
Referring again to the housing 20, FIG. 1 shows it to contain
several components for which the construction and operation will be
more fully described below, but the outwardly facing side of the
housing 20 can be immediately seen to hold two user accessible
knobs, the left-most one being the handle for a depressible by-pass
valve 26 which enables the user to open a port (not shown in FIG.
1) on the bottom of the housing 20 to temporarily purge water from
the dispenser 10 while the temperature of the water from the shower
is adjusted by the user. The other knob is a handle for a flow
control valve 28 which, as will also be more fully described,
regulates the flow of the hygienic fluid such as a mouthwash into
the flow of water through the conduit so as to provide the
aforementioned mixture of water and hygienic fluid at a
concentration level selected by the user.
The top side of the housing 20 is shown to hold a rotary knob which
is a handle for a pressure regulating valve 30 which reduces and
regulates the pressure of the water or mixture to a safe and
desired pressure level. By turning the knob of the regulating valve
30, the user may increase or decrease the pressure as desired. Next
to the housing 20 and on the other side of the bracket assembly 21
is shown a pressure gauge 32, which provides an analog readout of
the pressure of the water and mixture provided to the nozzle
assembly 24. As is generally known by those of skill in the art, a
water pressure of between 20 and 25 pounds per square inch gauge
(psig) is recommended for safe and effective oral cleaning.
Finally, although the bottom side of the housing 20 is not visible
in FIG. 1, shown attached to the bottom of the housing 20 is a
dispenser assembly 34 which houses and dispenses the hygienic fluid
in a manner in accordance with the present invention. The
construction and operation of the dispenser assembly 34 will be
more particularly described below.
Referring now to FIG. 2, shown therein is an exploded, cross
sectional view of the main body of the dispenser 10, including a
cross sectional view of the conduit housing 20 constructed in
accordance with the present invention. To simplify the discussion,
the relevant components that normally reside within or are
connected to the conduit housing 20 are shown detached from the
conduit in an exploded fashion, with dashed lines indicating the
location where these components normally reside. In addition, the
hose 22 and the nozzle assembly 24 (shown in FIG. 1) are omitted
from this drawing.
The conduit housing 20 is fabricated from a block of a suitable
material, such as PVC, which may be machined using conventional
methods in such a manner as to provide the various ports and
interior channels shown. As is known by those of skill in the art,
when machining a block of material it is sometimes necessary to
drill fabrication ports to cut particular interior channels that
cannot otherwise be accessed through functional ports. Such
fabrication ports are subsequently sealed and do not generally
serve any functional purpose after the part has been fabricated. It
is contemplated that in one preferred embodiment of the present
invention the housing 20 would be machined from PVC and include
sealed fabrication ports, such as those shown as items 36 and 38.
However, a preferred alternative method for fabricating the housing
20 in a high volume production environment would be to use
injection molding using suitably tooled molds. If the housing 20
was injection molded, of course, no such fabrication ports would be
necessary. It is contemplated that injection molding, beyond the
obvious per-unit cost savings, would also provide the benefit of
fabricating housings 20 in almost any desired color simply by
altering the color of the injected plastic.
The functional ports of the conduit housing 20 include a water
source inlet 40 that fluidly connects the housing 20 to the two way
diverter 14 (shown in FIG. 1) by way of a conventional threaded
screw arrangement (the details of which are well known and as such
are not particularly shown). During operation of the dispenser 10,
a flow of pressurized water from the domestic water source passes
through the inlet 40 and into the conduit housing 20, taking the
paths indicated by arrows. As will be more fully explained below,
the relative size of the arrows indicates the relative pressure of
the water as it flows through the housing 20.
The flow of water through the inlet 40 first encounters an
anti-siphon valve 42 which includes a stainless steel ball 44 that
is lifted off of a normally closed (N/C) neoprene or teflon seat 46
by the flow of pressurized water. The anti-siphon valve 42 serves
as a one-way check valve to allow water to pass into the housing
20, but to prevent water from siphoning back out of the housing 20
when water pressure is not present at the inlet 40. The anti-siphon
valve 42 vents to the atmosphere in a conventional manner as
shown.
The flow of water next passes to the by-pass valve 26 that is
installed in the conduit housing 20 in a by-pass valve channel as
shown. During normal operation of the dispenser 10 the water flows
past the N/C by-pass valve 26, but a path through a by-pass port
26A is established when the by-pass valve 26 is depressed by the
user, allowing the flow of water to be diverted out the bottom of
the housing 20 through the by-pass port 26A.
The purpose of the by-pass valve 26 is to allow the user to easily
obtain a desired water temperature for use with the dispenser 10
without utilizing or wasting any mouthwash solution. It is
contemplated that a user may wish to use the dispenser 10 to
irrigate his mouth after having taken a hot shower, but he would
first want to adjust the water to a cooler temperature to avoid any
discomfort to the gums caused by the application of the hot water
used during the shower. By depressing the by-pass valve 26 for a
few seconds while adjusting the shower water valves (not shown),
the desired water temperature can be obtained and immediately used;
without such a by-pass valve, a user would have to discharge water
out the nozzle assembly 24 (as shown in FIG. 1) for several minutes
to purge the system of the water at the undesirable hot temperature
before using the dispenser 10.
Likewise, in situations where the shower was not just previously in
use, the user can temporarily depress the by-pass valve 26 to
prevent the dispenser 10 from filling up with the undesirable cold
water that characteristically flows from most domestic shower
systems when such systems are initially turned on.
Referring again to FIG. 2 the by-pass valve 26 is shown to be a
conventional, spring loaded valve with a handle 48, a valve stem
50, a valve body 52, and a spring 54 fabricated and connected as
shown. When the valve handle 48 is depressed into the channel, the
entire assembly moves inwardly, compressing the spring 54 against a
back wall of the channel (not particularly shown) which aligns a
hole 56 in the valve body 52 with the by-pass port 26A so that, as
previously described, water from the inlet 40 is discharged out the
bottom of the housing 20.
Continuing with an examination of the flow of water through the
housing 20, the flow is shown to continue past the by-pass valve 26
and to next encounter the pressure regulating valve 30. As is
known, the pressure regulating valve 30 regulates downstream water
pressure by employing a lower spring 58 and an adjustable upper
spring 60 that are in compression on each side of a diaphragm
assembly 62. Water thus selectively passes through the pressure
regulating valve 30 in response to the water pressure on each side
of the diaphragm assembly 62.
More particularly, pressure is exerted on the bottom of the
diaphragm assembly 62 from the combined force of the lower spring
58 and the pressure from the flow of water from the inlet 40. At
the same time, pressure is exerted on the top of the diaphragm
assembly 62 from the combined force of the adjustable upper spring
60 and the pressure of water that has passed through the diaphragm
assembly 62. When the pressure regulating valve 30 is first
presented with pressurized water at the bottom of the pressure
regulating valve 30, water flows up through the diaphragm assembly
62 until such time that the pressure from the water that has passed
through and is subsequently on the top of the diaphragm assembly 62
and exerts a back pressure on the diaphragm assembly 62. When this
back pressure reaches a particular threshold level, the diaphragm
assembly 62 closes. The diaphragm assembly 62 reopens and admits
additional water as the water pressure from the water on top
decreases as it flows downstream (and is discharged through the
nozzle assembly 24, as shown in FIG. 1). In this manner, the
pressure regulating valve 30 maintains a relatively constant
pressure downstream and allows for improved control of the upstream
pressure from the water source, which may typically be 75 to 100
psig. The pressure regulating valve 30 also compensates for
variations in water pressure that can be observed in domestic well
systems.
The downstream pressure may be adjusted by changing the preload on
the adjustable upper spring 60 by turning a user accessible handle
61 on the pressure regulating valve 30. As previously discussed
hereinabove, the user may rotate the handle 61 to select a desired
pressure of the discharged water or mixture through the nozzle
assembly 24. This adjustability allows the user to increase the
pressure to a relatively larger value, such as 25 psi, which would
be useful in ejecting food particles from between the teeth and
gums. In addition, the pressure may be reduced to a relatively low
value, such as 15 psig, which may be preferred by some users such
as children. The pressure regulating valve 30 is available
commercially such as model R362 manufactured by Arrow Pneumatics,
Inc.
Referring again to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the flow of water
exits the pressure regulating valve 30 and flows through a nozzle
feed orifice port 63 and a dispenser assembly inlet port 65. The
inlet port 65 provides the flow of water to the dispenser assembly
34 in a manner to be described below. To understand the operation
of the dispenser assembly 34, however, it is first necessary to
provide a detailed description of the components and construction
therein.
The dispenser assembly 34 is shown in FIG. 2 to comprise a
cylindrical dispenser housing 64, preferably made of acrylic. FIG.
3 provides an unobstructed cross-sectional view of the dispenser
housing 64, and it can be seen that the dispenser housing 64 may be
fabricated from a hollow cylinder of acrylic or other suitable
material and capped off at both ends with fabricated (preferably
machined) pieces of acrylic glued or otherwise affixed to the
cylinder to provide an interior volume within the dispenser housing
64. In the preferred embodiment, the dispenser housing 64 is
fabricated from cast acrylic tubing with a 3-inch outer diameter
and 1/8-inch wall thickness, and the completed dispenser housing 64
has an overall length of about 9 inches. The bottom of the
dispenser housing 64 has a 1/2 inch diameter threaded hole for
accepting a threaded plastic drain plug 66, as shown in FIG. 2 and
FIG. 3, which may be removed as described below to drain water from
the dispenser housing 64. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the top of the
dispenser housing 64 has a first circular, recessed shelf 68 and a
second circular, recessed shelf 70 within and below the first shelf
68, so that the shelves "step down" into the dispenser housing 64.
The top of the dispenser housing 64 also comprises a central
opening 72 through the first and second shelves 68, 70 that allows
access to the interior volume of the dispenser housing 64. A
secondary opening 74 also allows access to the interior volume, but
the secondary opening 74 exists in the first shelf 68 only and not
the second shelf 70. A semi-circular shaped channel 75 is also cut
in the first shelf 68 and runs in a path completely surrounding the
second shelf 70, aligned so as to communicate with the secondary
opening 74. For clarity, it should be understood that the channel
75 has a semi-circular shape in regards to its cross-sectional
depth, but it is circular in shape in regards to the path it takes
around the second shelf 70. The purpose of these various elements
will become clear as additional elements associated with the
dispenser assembly 34 are further identified and described.
The dispenser assembly 34 further comprises a collapsible dispenser
bag 76 for retaining and dispensing a hygienic fluid, such as the
mouthwash previously discussed. The dispenser bag 76 is located
within the interior volume of the dispenser housing 64 and, as
shown more fully in FIGS. 4 and 4A, is made of polyethylene film,
with ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) content and with a wall thickness
of about 0.004 inches. The bag material should be impervious to the
effects of alcohols and other chemicals commonly contained in the
hygienic fluids used with the dispenser 10.
As will be apparent to those of skill in the art, for clarity of
illustration the wall thickness of the dispenser bag 76 in FIG. 2
is shown in exaggerated dimension and no folds in the bag are
shown, although such folds may exist when the dispenser bag 76 is
inserted into the dispenser housing 64. The dispenser bag 76, also
shown in FIG. 4, has an opening 78 with a gasket 80 made of
polyethylene with EVA content approximately 1/16 inch thick
attached thereto. FIG. 4A provides a top plan view of the gasket
80.
As shown in FIG. 5, the dispenser assembly 34 also comprises a dip
tube assembly 82 which is a long, hollow tube 84 having a simple
ball check valve 86 affixed at the top of the tube 84 and a
diffuser 88 affixed to the bottom of the tube 84. The diffuser 88
has holes that align and communicate with holes in the tube 84 as
shown. The top of the tube assembly 82 has a shelf 90 that
protrudes as a ring around the tube 84 and fits into a circular
gasket 92, which has essentially the same diameter as the second
shelf 70 in the dispenser housing 64.
The dispenser bag 76 is inserted into the interior volume of the
dispenser housing 64 so that the gasket 80 which is attached to the
opening of the dispenser bag 76 rests upon the second shelf 70 in
the top of the dispenser housing 64. The gasket 80 thus holds the
dispenser bag 76 open and prevents the dispenser bag 76 from
completely entering the interior of the dispenser housing 64. The
dip tube assembly 82 is inserted into the bag so that the gasket 92
compresses the gasket 80 in the opening 78 of the dispenser bag 76
and essentially fills the space provided by the second shelf 70 in
the dispenser housing 64. The gasket 92 thus provides a water tight
seal between the dispenser housing 64, the tube assembly 82, and
the dispenser bag 76.
Observing the dispenser housing 64 in FIG. 2, it can be seen that
the top opening of the dispenser housing 64 also has threaded sides
95 which enable the dispenser housing 64 to be screwed to a
dispenser hub 94 which, along with a dispenser hub gasket 96 (more
particularly shown in FIG. 7), is affixed to the bottom of the
conduit housing 20.
FIG. 6 provides a bottom view of the housing 20 and shows mounting
holes 98 through which hardware screws (not shown) mount the gasket
96 (through corresponding gasket mounting holes 100, as shown in
FIG. 7) and the hub 94 (through corresponding hub mounting holes
102, as shown in FIG. 8) to the housing 20. Of course, if the
housing 20 was fabricated by way of the aforementioned injection
molding process, the hub 94 could be formed as an integral part of
the housing 20, and in such a case the gasket 96, the holes 100 and
102, and the hardware would then be unnecessary.
FIG. 7 shows the gasket 96 as containing a secondary opening 104
which is aligned with the dispenser assembly inlet port 65. FIG. 8
further shows that the hub 94 contains a hub secondary opening 106
that aligns with both the gasket secondary opening 104 and the
dispenser assembly inlet port 65. Thus, water may freely pass out
of the dispenser assembly inlet port 65 and through both the gasket
96 and the hub 94 through the openings 104 and 106.
Returning now to FIG. 2, the dispenser assembly 34, when screwed to
the housing 20 by way of the hub 94, provides a path for a flow of
water to pass to the dispenser housing 64 and occupy the volume of
space surrounding the dispenser bag 76. Such a flow of water passes
through the dispenser assembly inlet port 65, through the gasket 96
and hub 94, and enters the channel 75 in the top of the housing 20.
The water fills and follows the channel 75 until reaching the
housing secondary opening 74, after which it flows through the
secondary opening 74 and fills the volume surrounding the dispenser
bag 76. With the bag filled with mouthwash, the water surrounding
the dispenser bag 76 will exert an inward pressure upon the sides
or wall of the collapsible dispenser bag 76 and the mouthwash,
provided no opening is made so that mouthwash may flow from the
dispenser bag 76, will exert an outward pressure of equal magnitude
upon the wall of the dispenser bag 76 from inside the dispenser bag
76.
Returning now to the description of the flow of water through the
conduit housing 20 as shown in FIG. 2, the flow of water downstream
past the pressure regulator valve 30 was described as splitting
into two paths, with one path through the nozzle feed orifice port
63 and the other path through the dispenser assembly inlet port 65.
It should be now readily understood that the water passing through
the inlet port 65 serves to pressurize the dispenser assembly 34 by
providing a volume of pressurized water surrounding the dispenser
bag 76 at a pressure essentially that determined by the pressure
regulating valve 30.
The water passing through the orifice port 63, however, provides
the water to be discharged through the nozzle assembly 24, as shown
in FIG. 1. The orifice port 63, which is a conventional brass
orifice, provides a small pressure drop of perhaps 1 to 2 psig as
the water passes through the orifice port 63. This reduced water
pressure is indicated by the smallest of the three sizes of arrows
shown in FIG. 2 representing the flow of water through the housing
20. The purpose for this small pressure drop will be apparent
below.
The housing 20 contains a discharge conduit 108 (as shown in FIGS.
2 and 6) that communicates with the dispenser assembly 34 and
aligns with the central opening 72 in the dispenser housing 64, as
shown in FIG. 3. The hub gasket 96 has a gasket central opening 110
that aligns with the discharge conduit 108, as can be seen in FIG.
7, and the hub 94 likewise has a hub central opening 112, as shown
in FIG. 8, that also aligns with the discharge conduit 108 and
accepts the top of the ball check valve 86 of the dip tube assembly
82. Thus, a fluid path is established from the dispenser bag 76,
through the dip tube assembly 82, the central openings 110 and 112
in the gasket and hub respectively, and finally to the discharge
conduit 108, to allow the passage of mouthwash into the housing
20.
The discharge conduit 108 also contains the flow control valve 28,
described hereinabove with reference to FIG. 1, and the flow
control valve 28 regulates the flow of mouthwash from the dispenser
bag 76 into the conduit housing 20. The flow control valve 28 is a
conventional needle rotary valve that may be completely closed, so
that no mouthwash flows through the valve, or may be opened
gradually to allow a continuously increasing amount of mouthwash
through the valve. The flow control valve 28 in FIG. 2 is shown to
comprise a handle 114 attached to a valve stem 116 that rotates
through a threaded packing nut assembly 118 secured to the housing
20. A teflon valve sleeve 120 is also shown to provide a watertight
seal to prevent leakage.
As previously described, during operation with the flow control
valve 28 closed, pressure will be exerted upon the dispenser bag 76
by the surrounding water inside the dispenser housing 64. If, by
way of example, the pressure regulating valve 30 is set so as to
provide a flow of water at about 25 psi downstream, the pressure
both inside and outside the dispenser bag 76 will be about 25 psi,
and water passing beyond the orifice port 63 will have a pressure
of about 23 psi.
However, once the flow control valve 28 is opened, the pressure
inside the dispenser bag 76 will drop to a level substantially
equal to that of the flow of water beyond the orifice port 63,
namely about 23 psi, whereas the pressure outside the dispenser bag
76 will remain at about 25 psi. This differential pressure will
cause mouthwash to flow up through the discharge conduit 108 and
mix with the water passing beyond the orifice port 63, generating a
mixture of water and mouthwash to be discharged through the nozzle
assembly 24. The volume of mouthwash, and hence the concentration
of mouthwash in the mixture, will be determined by the extent that
the flow control valve 28 is opened; opening the flow control valve
28 to a greater extent allows a greater flow of mouthwash through
the discharge conduit 108 and making a "richer" mixture with a
greater concentration of mouthwash.
The flow of water, or the mixture of water and mouthwash when the
flow control valve 28 is open, is shown in FIG. 2 to proceed beyond
the orifice port 63 and pressurize the conventional pressure gauge
32, as previously discussed in FIG. 1, to provide a reading in psig
of the discharged water or mixture pressure. The inclusion of the
pressure gauge 32 is not mandatory, but in the preferred embodiment
the gauge 32 conveniently provides the user with the measured
pressure of the water or mixture provided to the nozzle assembly 24
and enables the user to precisely adjust the pressure regulating
valve 30 in the manner described hereinabove to achieve the desired
water or mixture pressure. The pressure gauge 32 may be located at
the top of the conduit housing 20, as shown in FIG. 1, or
alternatively, the pressure gauge 32 may be located in the
outwardly facing side of the conduit housing 20.
Beyond the pressure gauge 32, the flow of water or mixture passes
through a conduit housing outlet port 122 and a conventional male
hose adaptor 124, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, which is affixed to
the housing 20 over the outlet port 122. The hose adaptor 124 is
sized so that the hose 22, as shown in FIG. 1, will fit snugly over
the male end of the adaptor 124. In the preferred embodiment the
hose 22 is a conventional 1/4" diameter plastic hose.
The flow of water or mixture passes through the hose 22 to the
conventional nozzle assembly 24, many variations of which are well
known in the art. The nozzle assembly 24 of the preferred
embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, contains a normally closed (N/C)
regulating valve 126 which impedes the flow of water or mixture
through the nozzle assembly 24. The regulating valve 126 may be
opened by the user by depressing and turning a handle 128 of the
regulating valve 126 so that a conduit is opened through the
regulating valve 126, allowing passage of the flow of water or
mixture out a nozzle tip orifice 130. The nozzle assembly 24 also
has a detachable nozzle tip 132, which may be removed from the end
of the nozzle assembly 24. It is contemplated that a plurality of
such nozzle tips 132 may be provided, each one with a
distinguishing mark (such as a different color) so that different
users may each have their own tip. As shown in FIG. 1, the non-used
tips may be stored in tip nozzle recesses 134 provided in the top
of the conduit housing 20.
Having now concluded a description of the construction and function
of the dispenser 10, it can be seen that use of the dispenser 10 is
straightforward and easily accomplished. With reference to FIG. 1,
a user, desiring to use the dispenser 10 to irrigate the mouth
should turn on the water, adjust the shower valves (not shown) and
depress the by-pass valve 26 until the desired water temperature is
obtained. The user should then adjust the flow control valve 28 to
obtain the desired mixture concentration of mouthwash and water (or
close the flow control valve 28 if only water is desired) and
adjust the pressure of the discharged water or mixture from the
nozzle assembly 24, if necessary, by turning the handle on the
pressure regulating valve 30. Finally, the user should select and
install the desired nozzle tip 132 on the nozzle assembly 24 and
open the regulating valve 126 to receive the flow of water or
mixture. When the irrigation is completed, the water valves should
be turned off and the nozzle assembly 24 may be placed on a hook
136 on the conduit housing 20, as shown in FIG. I, provided for
that purpose. It should be noted that once the pressure regulating
valve 30 and the flow control valve 28 are adjusted to a
comfortable level, they need not be readjusted to maintain that
desired level.
In the preferred embodiment, the dispenser assembly 34 is sized so
that the dispenser bag 76 has a capacity of about 18 fluid ounces,
which has been shown to provide about a 60 minute source of mixture
at a relatively moderate concentration of mouthwash. This source,
depending upon usage time each day, will generally last for several
days before the mouthwash in the bag must be replenished.
When the mouthwash from the dispenser bag 76 is exhausted, the
dispenser bag 76 can be easily refilled by shutting off the source
water and removing the dispenser assembly 34 by unscrewing it from
the dispenser hub 94. The water in the dispenser assembly 34 is
drained by removing the drain plug 66 from the bottom of the
dispenser housing 64. The dip tube assembly 82 is removed and the
dispenser bag 76, remaining in the dispenser housing 64, is
refilled with mouthwash. The dip tube assembly 82 is then be
reinserted into the dispenser bag 76 and the dispenser assembly 34
is screwed to the dispenser hub 94. Finally, the drain plug 66 is
then inserted and tightened in the bottom of the dispenser assembly
34.
It should be readily apparent now that the preferred embodiment of
the present invention relies upon the compression of the dispenser
bag 76 to discharge the contents from the dispenser bag 76. The
purpose of the dip tube assembly 82 is to prevent the dispenser bag
76 wall, as it collapses, from closing off the bag opening 72
before all the mouthwash has been exhausted from the dispenser bag
76. With the use of the dip tube assembly 82, the present
embodiment effectively dispenses all the mouthwash from the
dispenser bag 76 so that essentially no mouthwash remains when the
dispenser bag 76 is emptied. It has been observed that at such
times that the mouthwash in the dispenser bag 76 has been
exhausted, the flow of water from the nozzle assembly 24 will
"sputter", readily indicating that the mouthwash should be
replenished. As a result, although the preferred embodiment for the
dispenser assembly 34 has been identified as being constructed from
acrylic, which is transparent, the dispenser assembly 34 could be
made from an opaque material, as it is unnecessary to visually
monitor the level of mouthwash remaining in the dispenser bag 76 as
the dispenser 10 is in use. However, most mouthwashes are provided
in a pleasing color and as such the use of a transparent dispenser
assembly 34 is preferred.
Although the preferred embodiment has disclosed the use of a
reusable dispenser bag 76 that remains inside the dispenser
assembly 34, it is explicitly contemplated in the present invention
that disposable bags of mouthwash or other hygienic fluids could be
procured separately, installed, and discarded when the contents
have been depleted. Of course, certain modifications might be
necessary to the dispenser 10 in order to facilitate the use of
disposable bags, but such modifications could be readily performed
by those of skill in the art.
In addition, although the preferred embodiment has provided a
dispenser for oral irrigation, the invention as disclosed and
claimed would likewise cover irrigation of other body cavities
besides the mouth. It is contemplated that those skilled in the art
could readily modify the dispenser 10 for application of a douche
or other hygienic fluid besides mouthwash, as provided in the
preferred embodiment.
It will be clear that the present invention is well adapted to
carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned
as well as those inherent therein. While presently preferred
embodiments have been described for purposes of this disclosure,
numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves
to those skilled in the art and which are encompassed in the spirit
of the invention disclosed and as defined in the appended
claims.
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